In the current state of the art, vehicle, and in particular automobile or car rentals require an initial check-in or rental procedure wherein the lessee provides personal and financial payment information (usually a credit card number and charge authorization) to the rental agency at a check-in counter. The information is then linked by computerized record to an available vehicle, using identification such as the vehicle license plate number, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and the like. Before each new rental the vehicle is inspected for current odometer reading and fuel level (with such information being entered in the computer database or its having already been previously entered with a prior return). This information is entered on a rental agreement and given to the customer and payment is effected, which, for individuals, is almost always with the tendering of a credit card.
The identified vehicle is located in the lot by the customer and then removed from the rental agency lot with a gate security check at a check-out gate, as assurance that the driver is in fact the authorized lessee or is otherwise authorized to remove the vehicle from the lot. Usually this is affected by comparison of driver identification with a rental agreement or just with the rental agreement information.
Thereafter the vehicle is driven and eventually returned to a rental agency lot (the origination lot or another lot of the same rental agency in a different location when such type of return is authorized) and the lessee advises the agency of such return.
Prior to completion of the check-out, an employee of the rental agency is dispatched to physically inspect the vehicle and to check the mileage (many rental agreements are dependent on mileage) and fuel level (the usual agreement specifies that returns are to have a full tank, and if not, an additional fuel charge is applied). In some instances the results are entered into a hand held computerized recordation device for entry into the agency computer database for calculation of the final rental charge (either while the lessee waits or as a supplement to the original charge on the initially tendered credit card).
In other instances the information is collected from the vehicle and is manually entered into a computer database for calculation of the final charges.
The present system has several shortcomings, foremost of which is the need for a physical inspection of each returning vehicle for recordation of mileage and fuel level, by a rental agency employee (at peak return periods, check-out times can be lengthy). In addition, recordation of fuel level is inexact and may vary from vehicle to vehicle since a fuel level gauge is only a rough indication of fuel level and actual level may vary by as much as a gallon or two and a customer is not charged or credited with the appropriate fuel usage charges. Other shortcomings include wasted time by both the customer and rental agent employees in either or both of the rental and return procedures. In addition, there is only a rudimentary estimate regarding readiness of vehicles and vehicle types available for rental. An additional shortcoming is the errors introduced by humans who read the fuel gauge (different viewing angles can provide different readings) and odometer (mid-point readings may be erroneously interpreted) as well as errors during manual data entry into a hand-held computer.
There is also currently no viable method other than a manual one for determining location of specific vehicles in a rental location or the states of readiness of such vehicles for rental. Furthermore, security of vehicles with correlation between specific vehicle and authorized user is subject to break-down with current methods of security.
An example of a typical prior art system is one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,044 which discloses a system for returns of rental vehicles. The described system relies on a physical annunciation of the arrival of the return car somewhat akin to activating a trip wire in order to initiate operation of the system at every location. However, because of the necessity of an annunciator for operation there are numerous limitations: In the described system, a returned car must proceed to a specific return area modified with the annunciator and local computerized system. Because of such limitations, returns take longer to be processed and the system requires a local processor to close out a transaction. In addition the system has no effective way of preventing RF interference between simultaneous returns.
Another representative patent in the field is U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,369 which discloses a central control designed primarily to provide a roving fleet of rental cars throughout a city, with location and constant monitoring by central site being key elements. This system requires key access by mag card to enter a vehicle as well as individual on-board computers in each vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,148 discloses an automated vehicle return system, wherein vehicles are provided with monitoring circuitry for monitoring parameters such as fuel level in a rental automobile. In addition the automobile is provided with a transmitter to transmit data regarding the vehicle and its rental to a base station within a vehicle return zone and thereafter the data is transmitted to a host computer. However, the system disclosed therein makes no provision for the operative function of multiple vehicles transmitting simultaneously to the same base station or host computer, with interference and false or missed readings engendered thereby. In addition, while absolute values of fuel tank contents are obtainable, factors, such as fuel float sensor position which often contribute to false readings are not always compensated for. Finally this patent is representative of patents in the field wherein only rudimentary information regarding automobile condition is monitored and transmitted. There are no provisions for security correlation, vehicle location within a rental site, or state of readiness of a vehicle for rental as well as automation of the rental process.